Baseboard radiator



Sept. 17, 1963 a. H. WEINER I 9 0 BASEBOARD RADIATOR Filed April 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

G/L BER T H. WE/NER ATTORNEY.

p 17, 1963 G. H. WEINER 3,103,970

BASEBOARD RADIATOR Fileg April 29, 1960' I 2 sheets-sheet 2 461 4 |l|l""' my J 4/ I IHI' 45 Y I @M 48 4a MINIMUM m. 1

INVENTOR.

6/1. BERT H. WE/NER BYWZZ@ A TTORNE Y.

United States Patent 3,103,970 BASEBOARD RADIATOR Gilbert H. Weiner, 232 Corbin Place, Brooklyn 35, N.Y. Filed Apr. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 25,578 2 Claims. (Cl. 165-67) This invention relates to radiators and is particularly concerned with improvements in baseboard radiation constructions.

Though there has been considerable development in the art of baseboard radiation, i.e., radiators which take the place of the normal baseboard in a house, or other building, considerable still needs to be done in order to perfect such constructions and the installation and utilization of the same.

The market for such constructions is quite competitive, so economy must be a prime consideration and it must not only reside in the finished construction, but must importantly take into consideration the labor cost of installation. At the same time, the structure must be one that can be installed so that it will stay in its installed position, will retain its appearance, and will function effectively over a long period of time. Other factors that must be taken into consideration are the possibilities of noises and distortions due to expansion and contraction, the facilitation control of the heating by the occupant of the premises, the fact that control must remain effective during the life of the radiator, and the ease of cleaning the assembly.

The instant invention meets the foregoing and other criteria for improvements in this art. It provides a baseboard radiation construction of utmost simplicity. It provides one which can be installed with the least manual labor. It also provides for a construction that when so installed will remain in its original condition throughout the life of the building. Furthermore, the actual heating elements of the invention are mounted in place most effectively, while, at the same time, eliminating the undesirable effects heretofore resulting from expansion and contraction. In addition, simple control of the heat supply is provided, the means for which also serves for enhancing the heating effect when in open position.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to improve and simplify the overall construction of baseboard radiation.

Another object is to facilitate the installation of baseboard radiation.

Another object is to enhance the permanence of such installation.

Still another object is to provide effective mounting for the radiating fins of such radiators while leaving them completely free to move in accordance with the requirements imposed by expansion and contraction.

A further object is to provide effective but simplified means for controlling the flow of heated air from such radiators which in open position enhances that flow.

A still further object is to provide baseboard radiation constructions formed of less parts than heretofore thought necessary.

Further and more detailed objects are to provide for simplification of assembly of the parts, to provide protection for the workman against injury while effecting such assembly, and to provide simple means for maintaining all of the parts in their positioned relationship.

Further objects will in part be obvious and in part be throughout.

ice

pointed out as the description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing proceeds.

In that drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a baseboard radiation assembly in accordance with the invention with parts broken away to show the interior thereof.

FIG. 2. is an enlarged vertical section thereof.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation thereof.

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged sectional showing of a fragmentary portion of the upper right hand corner of the assembly as seen in FIG. 2 showing a fragment of the damper and mounting thereof.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of a tin in accordance with the invention seated on a pipe and mounted upon supporting rails in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the bracket for supporting the rails within the assembly.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a preferred form of rail in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 9 is a similar View of an alternative form of rail.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention, the same reference characters are used for like parts The floor of the space to be heated is indicated at 1 in FIG. 2, whereas the wall to which the radiation assembly is applied is indicated at 2. The housing of the radiation assembly consists principally of a back plate, generally indicated at 3, and a one-piece top and cover assembly generally indicated at 4.

Considering, first, how the back plate 3 is applied, reference is made to the part of the back extending out to the left in FIG. 1 and in section in FIG. 2. This has a main straight portion 5 which, as seen in FIG. 2., lies up along the wall. At its top edge it is offset away from the wall in the bend 6, and extends from there in the portion 7 spaced from the wall to provide with the same a receiving channel therebetween. This channel receives and retains the downturned lip 8 formed on the inner end of the top portion 9 of the top and front assembly 4. However,

the top and front assembly is not applied until after the fin tubes and supporting bracket are in place as will be explained hereinafter. Thus, at the outset, there is nothing but the flat back plate 3 to position.

The bottom end of theback plate 3 may be turned slightly inwardly, as indicated at 10', to enhance the appearance and somewhat enhance the flow of air. The end edge of this portion seats on the floor 1 of the room. The first thing that needs to be done then is to position the back plate up against the wall, with the portion 10 seated on the floor 1 and nail it in place. In the prior art this has not been so easy, for at least the top was normally carried by the back plate so was in the way of the Workman trying to nail the back plate to the wall. As a result, he would put the top nail too far down and in time the whole construction would sag out from the wall at the upper end. This was particularly truewhere the fin assembly or other elements were hungwell up on the wall. The invention eliminates this sagging, first by making it necessary to apply only the back plate to the wall. There is nothing to get in the way of the workman in nailing that wall in place, so he can readily nail the top nail 11 close up beneath the bend 6. Other nails, as desired, such as shown at 12, may be used for further securement of the back plate to the wall. The important thing is that the top nail can be put up near the top of the back plate where its holding power prevents the sagging away from the wall, so common in prior art construction. Also the fin and tube assembly and front cover are secured by a single bracket mounted well down on the wall as will be pointed out in detail hereinafter.

Once the back plate is properly secured to the wall, the workman can proceed with installing the brackets and the fin and pipe assembly, if certain of these are not already in place. Considering, first, the brackets, they are generally indicated at 15, and are shown per se in FIG. 7. They have an extending mounting portion 16 formed to lie in a plane parallel to that of the wall portion 5. This has a lower horizontally projecting mounting tab 17 and an upper, vertically downwardly mounting tab 18 extending from the web portion 19. At the line 29 the mounting portion 16 of the bracket is bent at right angles with respect to the arm portion 21 thereof. Thus the arm portion 21, formed for supporting the tube and fin assembly and for securing the bottom of the front cover in place extends out at right angles to the mounting portion 16 and to the wall 3 when the bracket is secured thereto. This bracket 15 is suitably formed to have the requisite strength for carrying the fins and fin pipe and also for the interengagement of the bottom edge of the front wall therewith. As an illustration, such brackets would normally be spaced approximately two feet apart so would merely need to be of metal of suflicient strength to carry the load required at those spaced intervals. With different spacing, brackets of different strength would be employed.

The outwardly extending arm 21 of the bracket is advantageously gradually reduced in height in its outward extent and its upper normally straight edge 22 is provided with a pair of identical notches 23 having angularly inclined sides 24 and 25. The purpose of these, further explained hereinafter, is to properly receive and mount the rails carrying the fins and fin pipe assembly.

Adjacent its outer end, the bottom edge of the arm 21 is recessed upwardly at 30 and between that recess and the end is provided with a convexly turned downwardly extending receiving lug 31. This, as will also be detailed hereinafter, is for the purpose of receiving and securing the inturned bottom edge of the front cover.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the bracket 15 is mounted on the wall by the seating of the projections 17 and 18 in suitable pockets provided therefor. These pockets are preferably formed by olfsetting sections of the metal of the wall forwardly of the plane thereof. The upper packet 35 has an upwardly opening mouth 36 for the reception of the tab 18, whereas the lower one 37 has a mouth 38 opening sideways and to the right as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3 for the reception of the horizontally extending tab 17.

In the absence of the fin pipe assembly and the rails, the bracket is mounted on the wall by means of the wall pockets 35 and 37 merely by bringing it into position from above with the arm 21 tilted at an angle with respect to the vertical. Then the tab 1 8 is introduced into the pocket 36 and, as it is moved thereinto by turning the arm 21 of the bracket towards the vertical, the tab 17 is guided into the pocket 38. By the time the arm 21 has reached the vertical the tabs 17 and 18 have been fully seated in their pockets. The bracket is now enclosed in place ready for the mounting of the fin pipe assembly and its rails in position thereon.

Reverting now to FIGS. 3, 5, 6 and 8, it will be seen from FIG. 3 that a plurality of identical rectangular fins 40 are mounted on a fin pipe 41 and are maintained in spaced relationship by means of the flanged portions 42 extending out from one face of the fin. Advantageously the flanged portions 42 are flared outwardly to a small extent at their outer ends, as seen at 43, which flared portions abut the surface of the adjacent fin and insure proper spacing of the fins. Also, of course, the inner surfaces of the flanges 42 are in snug engagement with the outside of the pipe 41.

To stilfen the fins and to eliminate dangerous sharp edges on which the workmen might cut their hands, the vertical edges of the fins are turned over at 44 and doubled on themselves for a short distance as seen at 45. The top and bottom edges 46 and 47 of the fins are left raw but with the side edges doubled over the workmen have a means for handling the fins without cutting their hands. Greater fin area is also provided.

An important aspect of the invention is the manner in which the fin and fin pipe assemblies are supported within the radiator housing and are mounted to allow free movement in the direction of the fin pipe resulting from the expansion and contraction thereof. This is achieved by forming rounded recesses 48 up into the fins through their bottom edges 47, which recesses have slightly restricted mouths 49 to assist in maintaining the rail members therein at all times. The recesses as shown are merely spaced from the vertical center line of the fin at either side thereof. These recesses 49 are identical throughout all the fins in the assembly and they are formed to receive identical rail members 50 for the mounting of the assemblies on the brackets 15.

The rail members 50, as best seen in FIG. 8, are preferably formed out of sheet metal bent into the form of a figure eight when viewed in cross section. The upper rounded portions 51 of the rails are received in the recesses 48, being sized to just fit through the restricted openings 49 at the mouths of those recesses. Accordingly, the portions 51 of the rails have a free sliding fit within the recesses.

The lower rounded portions 52 of the rails extend downwardly with respect to the bottom edges 47 of the fins and are formed to center themselves within the recesses 23 in the upper edges of the bracket arms 21. The curved surface of the portions 52 thus make line contact with each of the recess surfaces 24 and 25. Thus the rails can readily slide lengthwise across the surfaces 24 and 25 and the fins can also move with respect to the rails. Accordingly, relatively free longitudinal movement of the assemblies of fins and fin tube within the radiator housings is provided for in response to the expansion and contraction of the tube. It is also apparent that the rails 50 elfectively support the tin and tube assemblies on the brackets, since those brackets are positioned at proper intervals along the length of the back wall 3, those intervals depending upon the weight of the assembly being carried. Normally, however, a spacing of approximately two feet between brackets will be satisfactory. It is preferable to have the rails extend along as much of the length of the fin and tube assembly as can reasonably be done, but it can also be appreciated that sections of rails can be employed, preferably with their ends properly positioned between brackets. Finally, it is to be noted that the rails are spaced either side of the center of the fins in the position best calculated for the distribution of the load of the assemblies. While in the foregoing specific fin, rail and rail support constructions and relationships have been set forth in order to illustrate the invention, it is of course to be understood that variations and modifications thereof may well be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Once the fins and fin tube assemblies carried by their tails are mounted in place on the brackets in front of the back plate 3, all that needs to be done is to secure the top and cover assembly 4 in place. This is achieved by hooking the down-turned lip 8 carried by the back edge of the t0p int0 the channel formed between the back plate portion 7 and the wall itself and then snapping the rounded lower edge 55 of the front wall 56 in place over the receiving lugs 31 provided at the outer ends of the brackets 15. The normal sheet metal out of which the top and front assembly is made is sufficiently yieldable and resilient to enable this securing to be done without any distortion of the parts. Also, the securing is fully effective to hold the parts in place for the full life of the structure. Nevertheless, the front and top assembly may be removed if necessary by unsnapping the edge from the legs 31.

An important feature to note here is that the only support for the front and back assembly is that provided by the back plate portion 7 with the complete positioning being effected by the engagement of the lugs 31 with the turned in edge 55 of the front. It is, accordingly, to be appreciated that the brackets 15 are the only brackets needed within the housing formed by the back plate, top and front and they are positioned at about the bottom of the housing. Furthermore the brackets 15 mount the fin and tube assembly in the lower part of the housing. This has the effect of leaving a substantially unobstructed flue like chamber 57 within the housing above the radiator. It also keeps down the bending moment which, in prior art constructions, particularly where elements were mounted high on the back wall, has caused the upper parts of assemblies to pull away from the wall. In the invention, not only is pulling away action minimized by the positioning of the parts, but it is also guarded against since the installer is able to nail the back plate 3 to the wall 2 at a position close to the top of the assembly, as shown by the nail 11.

The front 56 is formed with substantial sized openings 58 along the upper part thereof to allow the heated air to flow out. The flow of this air through the upper part of the housing and out through the openings can be directed and controlled by longitudinally extending damper members 59 mounted within the upper portion 57 of the housing. These dampers are longitudinally extending flat sheets carrying operating knobs 6t thereon. They are suitably and frictionally secured in place in the upper front corner 61 between the top 9 and the front 56 of the top and front assembly. This securing is effected by means of spring clip-s, generally indicated at 62, positioned adjacent the corner 61 at spaced intervals along the length thereof.

The spring clips 62 as here shown have a pair of arms 63 and 64 positioned at an acute angle with respect to each other. The upper arm 63 is preferably welded to the under surface of the top 9, leaving the arm 64 as the free springing element. The top edge of the damper'59 is rounded into the form of a head 65 and this bead is of a size to enable it to be snapped into the interior re cess 66 bounded by the rounded corner 61 and the complementary surface of the joining web portions 67 of the spring clips. Though the open mouth 68 of the recess 66 between the end of the portion 61 and the nearest corner of the spring clip 67 is smaller than the bead 65 the resiliency of the spring clip enables the bead to be snapped into position in the recess 66. Once in that position the bead 65 is subjected to the resilient dragging action of the spring clip. Thus the damper 59 will stay in whatever position it is placed from and including the fully open one to the fully closed one, as shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 2 and 4.

As will be apparent from the FIG. 2 showing, the damper 59, when in its fully open position, also serves as a directing baflle to direct the heated air flowing up from the fin and tube assembly, out through the openings '58. This enhances the heating eificiency as against the commonly shorter dampers in prior art constructions where, in spite of the position of the damper, considerable of the heat could flow past the same up into the top of the housing.

The openings 58 are of sufiicient size that the person desiring to adjust the damper can reach in through them, grasp the knob 60 and set the damper at any desired position. It will, of course, be understood that a suflicient number of spring clips, as shown, each of which may for example be about an inch in width, may be positioned along the length of the top 9 to suitably hold the damper and impart the proper resilient dragging action thereto. Also, of course, the complete damper [for an installation may well be made up of several damper elements aligned in end to end relationship.

In FIG. 9 a slightly modified form of rail construction is shown. This rail, generally indicated at 70, is formed by the bending of the sheet metal the same as the rail 50. In this case, however, the bending is done on a triangular, instead of a circular basis. Thus the center spine 71 has an upper triangular element bent therefrom with a base 72 and a return leg 73 which comes back to, or adjacent to, the spine. The rail has a similar lower triangular element 74, 75, merely the reverse of the upper triangle. When such a rail, 70, has its upper triangle seated in suitably form-ed recesses in the fins and has its lower triangular element mounted in angular recesses formed in the bracket arms, it will form substantially two line contacts with each of the fins as well as with the bracket arms. The assembly including this alternate rail will thus function with the full effectiveness desired.

Though in the foregoing various specific structural details have been included for the purpose of full and complete illustration of the invention, it is of course to be under-stood that the invention is not to be construed as limited thereby since a variety of other part formations, securing elements or manners of securing parts together may well, in the light of the instant disclosure, suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Speaking more generally, it is to be noted that since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be deemed as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In baseboard radiation construction, a pipe, a plurality of fins formed as sections of thin sheet metal with perforations therethrough adjacent the mid position thereof, said fins being mounted on said pipe by means of said perforations and being in spaced longitudinal relationship on said pipe, said fins being formed with aligned bottom edges, said bottom edges, at positions between and spaced from the vertical center line of said fins and from the sides thereof being recessed upwardly in a pair of recesses, said recesses having narrow mouths at said bottom edges and being widened substantially in their upper portions away from said bottom edges, track means, for supporting said fins, formed out of sheet metal, said track means as viewed in cross section having an intermediate portion of width complementary to the width of said narrow mouths but narrower than said mouths for slidable re ception therein and having an upper portion of a width complementary to the width of said widened upper portions of said recesses but narrower than said upper portions for slidable reception therein, said track means having their intermediate and upper portions seated in said recesses for mated slidable relationship with respect to the sides thereof and said track means having lower portions positioned below said bottom edges of said fins, said lower portions having substantially the same cross section as that of said upper portions of said track means, said track means lying wholly inwardly of lines extended down 'from said sides of said fins, and bracket members beneath said track means slidably supporting said track means, said bracket members including a single thickness of metal lying solely in a vertical plane and having a substantially horizontal upper edge, said upper edge being formed with notches extending downwardly thereinto, said notches receiving and seating said lower portions of said track means therein for slidable longitudinal movement of said track means transversely of said bracket but preventing sidewise movement of said track means.

2. Baseboard radiation construction as in claim 1 said cross section of said track means being substantially in the form of the letter 8.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Ohnstr-and Apr. 26, 1904 Lawrence Nov. 2, 1909 Franquet et a1 Nov. 18, 1930 Poole Mar. 29, 1938 Nelson June 26, 1951 Hardwick Feb. 10, 1953 Guerra et al Nov. 1, 1955 Borg et a1 Jan. 17, 1956 Pierce Mar. 10, 1959 Seeley Mar. 8, 1960 Nelson Dec. 8, 1960 

1. IN BASEBOARD RADIATION CONSTRUCTION, A PIPE, A PLURALITY OF FINS FORMED AS SECTIONS OF THIN SHEET METAL WITH PERFORATIONS THERETHROUGH ADJACENT THE MID-POSITION THEREOF, SAID FINS BEING MOUNTED ON SAID PIPE BY MEANS OF SAID PERFORATIONS AND BEING IN SPACED LONGITUDINAL RELATIONSHIP ON SAID PIPE, SAID FINS BEING FORMED WITH ALIGNED BOTTOM EDGES, SAID BOTTOM EDGES, AT POSITIONS BETWEEN AND SPACED FROM THE VERTICAL CENTER LINE OF SAID FINS AND FROM THE SIDES THEREOF BEING RECESSED UPWARDLY IN A PAIR OF RECESSES, SAID RECESSES HAVING NARROW MOUTHS AT SAID BOTTOM EDGES AND BEING WIDENED SUBSTANTIALLY IN THEIR UPPER PORTIONS AWAY FROM SAID BOTTOM EDGES, TRACK MEANS, FOR SUPPORTING SAID FINS, FORMED OUT OF SHEET METAL, SAID TRACK MEANS AS VIEWED IN CROSS SECTION HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF WIDTH COMPLEMENTARY TO THE WIDTH OF SAID NARROW MOUTHS BUT NARROWER THAN SAID MOUTHS FOR SLIDABLE RECEPTION THEREIN AND HAVING AN UPPER PORTION OF A WIDTH COMPLEMENTARY TO THE WIDTH OF SAID WIDENED UPPER PORTIONS OF SAID RECESSES BUT NARROWER THAN SAID UPPER PORTIONS FOR SLIDABLE RECEPTION THEREIN, SAID TRACK MEANS HAVING THEIR INTERMEDIATE AND UPPER PORTIONS SEATED IN SAID RECESSES FOR MATED SLIDABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO 